Alcatraz means pelican in Spanish but the inmates of the prison referred to it more often as the Rock'. Located three miles east offshore from the Golden Gate the island is remote and exposed to harsh winds coming in off the ocean. Alcatraz began as a military fort in 1859, established to guard the San Francisco Bay. In 1907 it was converted into a military prison. From 1934 to 1963 it gained a reputation of legendary proportions as a maximum-security Federal prison. During this time it housed an average of 264 inmates who were transferred there for disobedience at other Federal prisons. Infamous felons such as Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly served hard time here. From 1963 to 1969 the island was unoccupied. In 1969 members of the American Indian Movement laid claim to Alcatraz island. In 1971 they were removed from the island. Today Alcatraz is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The current lighthouse dates from 1909.' Source: www.nps.gov/alca/